The administration of the region had an almost purely military
character throughout. Von Kaufman died in 1882, and a committee
under Fedor Karlovich Giers (or Girs, brother of the Russian
Foreign Minister Nikolay Karlovich
Giers) toured the Krai and
drew up proposals for reform, which were implemented after 1886. In
1888 the new Trans-Caspian railway, begun at
Uzun-Ada on the shores of the Caspian Sea in 1877, reached Samarkand.
Nevertheless Turkestan remained an isolated colonial outpost, with an administration
that preserved many distinctive features from the previous Islamic
regimes, including Qadis' courts
and a 'native' administration that devolved much power to local 'Aksakals'
(Elders or Headmen). It was quite unlike European Russia. In 1908
Count Konstantin Konstantinovich Pahlen led another reform
commission to Turkestan, which produced in 1909-1910 a monumental
report documenting administrative corruption and inefficiency.

In 1897 the railway reached Tashkent, and finally in 1906 a direct rail
link with European Russia was opened across the steppe from Orenburg to Tashkent. This led to much larger numbers of
ethnic Russian settlers
flowing into Turkestan than had hitherto been the case, and their
settlement was overseen by a specially created Migration Department in
Saint
Petersburg (Переселенческое Управление). This caused
considerable discontent amongst the local population as these
settlers took scarce land and water resources away from them. In
1916 discontent boiled over in the Basmachi Revolt,
sparked by a decree conscripting the natives into labour
battalions (they had previously been exempt from military
service). Thousands of settlers were killed, and this was matched
by Russian reprisals, particularly against the nomadic population.
Order had not really been restored by the time the February
Revolution took place in 1917. This would usher in a still
bloodier chapter in Turkestan's history, as the Bolsheviks of the Tashkent Soviet (made up entirely of Russian
soldiers and railway workers, with no Muslim members) launched an
attack on the autonomous Jadid
government in Kokand early in 1918, which left 14,000 dead.
Resistance to the Bolsheviks by the local population (dismissed
as 'Basmachi' or 'Banditry' by Soviet historians) continued well into the
1920s.

Kazakhstan is by far the largest of the Central Asia's states
of the former USSR. It has borders with Russia, China, and the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It is
the world's ninth biggest country by size, and it is more than
twice the size of the other Central Asian states combined. Its lack
of significant historical sites and endless featureless steppe have
put many off Kazakhstan, while many still are captivated by the
emptiness and mystery of this goliath state. It will be many
travelers' first port of call on their Central Asian adventure, and
there is much for the intrepid traveller to enjoy.

Understand

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936.

During the launching of the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin
Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate
Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly
Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the
ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives.
Independence has caused many of these newcomers to emigrate.

Current issues include: Developing a cohesive national identity;
expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources
and exporting them to world markets (an oil pipeline to China has
been built; the gas pipeline is under construction); achieving a
sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining
sectors, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and
other foreign powers.

Astana (Aqmola) — 2nd
largest city, and capital since December 1998. Worth visiting but
you only need a few days to get to the most recommended
sightseeings. The city is brand new and being built very rapidly.
If you want to see what Akmola (Astana previous name) looks like,
you need to do it now as the old city is disappearing quite
rapidly.

Atyrau — Oil capital of
Kazakhstan, where large onshore Tengiz and offshore Kashagan
oilfields are located.

Almaty — largest city, and
capital prior to December 1998. Definitely a must-see. Beside the
western-style city, you may want to go to the Medeu and other
places in the nearby mountains.

Karaganda —
Industrial city between Astana and Almaty; worth visiting if you
like mining history.

Pavlodar — the oldest
Russian city in the country, founded in 1720, closed until 1992 for
its military significance in tank production, and home to one very
impressive mosque, as well as other interesting Orthodox churches
and various memorials

Shymkent —
Kazakhstan's second largest city, an old market town located near
Tashkent and some
beautiful mountains; now booming with oil exploration

Turkestan — another
ancient city, long a border town between the Persian culture to the
south and the Turkic nomadic culture to the north, now majority
Uzbek and home to several important cultural-historical
monuments

Lufthansa has also seven days flights to Almaty, from where you
can go anywhere via local carrier SKAT, which flies to most cities
in Kazakhstan. British Airways (Almaty-Heathrow route taken over by
bmi from Sept 2007) and KLM now fly several times a week to
Heathrow and Schiphol. There is also non-stop connection twice a
week from Prague, operated by Czech airlines. Turkish Airlines is
good passenger carrier, with flights to Istanbul (ask a travel
agent about the student fares, which can be a great deal). There
are twice a week flights from Seoul to Almaty; one is Asiana
Airlines, and the other is Astana. Airbaltic also flies to Almaty;
if you reserve tickets in advance, you can go there for €130 (from
Riga).

By train

The trains are a great way to meet people. A lot has been
written about the pitfalls of being included in a vodka drinking
party on a train, but for the most part fellow travelers are
friendly, and keen to find out about you ("why aren't you married?"
and, if you are, "why don't you have children?", and if you do,
"why don't they have children?"!). Most travellers take food for
the journey, as restaurant car provision is sporadic (and they
expect you to share yours too!). If you don't have enough to last
the distance, the trains generally stop for 15-20 mins at each
station and there are always people on the platform selling food
and drink, at any time of day or night.

By car

You can enter Kazakhstan by car through many of the border
checkpoints on main roads into the country. However, be prepared to
wait up to 24 (twenty-four) hours in the queues, with rather poor
facilities.

By bus

It is fairly easy to travel from Ürümqi to Almaty via sleeper bus, especially if
you aren't in a hurry and don't mind living on a bus for a good 24
to 36 hours. The border crossing itself is a bit of a hike, and you
may be made to carry all of your belongings with you for quite a
ways in some seriously warm weather. The bus trip and "baggage
fees" are around US$45. You can pick up your Kazakhstan visa at the
embassy in Urumqi as well, but be prepared to chill for at least a
week waiting, and be sure to get a copy of your passport before
handing it over.

By boat

Freighters travel regularly between Baku and Aktau, and it is possible to hitch a
ride. Note, though, that it is common for ships to get held up,
even for weeks, before entering port, so you had better stock up on
food and water before boarding. See freighter travel to better understand
how this works.

Registration

You must register your visa within five days of entering
Kazakhstan if your border entry card has only one stamp. After your
first registration you must register in each destination if you
stay more than 72 hours (see each destination for further details).
If you stay in Kazakhstan less than five days then you may not need
to register but this needs to be confirmed (28 July 2008).

If you have a one-entry tourist visa for 30 days, no
registration is needed. In Almaty airport, custom officials say
that you don't need to register as long as you don't plan on
staying more than 90 days (only for tourists), as of July 2008.

Get around

You can travel within country using taxis, buses, trains and
planes, it depends on your budget and demands. Renting a car is
rather costly compared to other means of transport.

In Semipalatinsk (Semey) a minivan costs 35 tenge, and a large
bus costs 35-40 tenge (in Astana it ranges about 60-65 tenge),
common taxi fare is minimally 300 tenge (at the time, March of
2009, USD 1 was approximately 150 tenge).

By public buses

Public transportation in big cities is rather popular. You can
use buses, trolleys, trams and minibuses. One big minus of all of
them is that they never come on schedule and very crowded on peak
time. Moreover, there is absolutely no plan with bus stops and
schedule whatsoever. If you don't speak Russian, taking the bus
will be quite tricky but not impossible.

By taxi

Use taxis as they are very cheap (€2 to €6 within city). You
don't have to use official taxis in most cities, basically you can
stop almost any car on the street by raising your hand. It works
good in Almaty & Astana, but in Karaganda the best way is one
of taxis by phone. It some cheaper and even faster than hitch-hike
waiting.

A note of warning, getting to the Almaty airport can be
expensive, a taxi to the Airport can cost USD 50. Taxis to the
airport vary greatly in price. Any foreigner will be quoted a
fantastic rate but usually cabs will come down once they see they
aren't going to be able to get that much. USD50 is outlandish. Do
not accept the first price as it will result in your being
overcharged. It should be less than USD10, although it can
never be guaranteed that a foreigner will get that price.
A better option are the minibuses and buses that go to the airport.
The word "airport" is very similar in Russian and English.

A common way to get around is by unofficial taxis. Any time of
day, just wave your hand and someone will stop. Locals do this all
the time. Negotiate the price and destination before you agree to
go. About $2-$4 is fair for a ride within the center of Almaty. If
your russian is poor or nonexistent, you will be charged a lot more
than locals; to avoid this, try to use public buses as much as you
can and don't hesitate to tell the driver how much you are ready to
pay (do this before he tells you how much he wants!). To be safe
though, do not get in a car if more than one person is driving.
Also, do not take these kind of taxis for long distances or
anywhere that goes through remote areas, as there are frequent
robberies, especially of foreigners.

By train

Train is the most popular way of covering the huge distances
between Kazakhstan's main cities. Main train stations are located
in Astana, Karaganda and Almaty, but they can be found almost in
every big city.

You will have to buy a ticket in advance (sometimes even one day
before departure) and a seat/bed number will be given to you.
Ticket offices can be found in other locations than the really busy
(and extremely slow, I mean it!) ticket offices found in the train
stations. Also don't forget that you will need your passport to buy
a train ticket.

Most long distances trains leave in the evening and provide beds
with clean sheets for the journey ahead.

By long distance buses

They are a popular alternatives to trains and are faster but
less comfortable than them. As for trains, you will need to buy
your ticket in advance and will be given a seat number. Be careful
when the bus makes a bathroom stop, the driver don't check if all
passengers are on board before resuming driving!

Fares are relatively low, for instance a single from Almaty to
Karaganda (14 hours) will cost you 2500T, much cheaper than an
flight ticket.

By plane

Air Astana provides offices in a few major hotels in big cities;
it's the fastest way of travelling within the city for those who
can afford it. Planes are brand new and match european standards in
quality.

Other

A fun and cheap way to get around is by taking a "marshrutka".
These are the dilapidated vans that cruise around town. They
usually have a sign (in Russian) listing the destination, and the
driver will usually call out where they are going. But you will not
find them in Almaty.

Talk

To many foreigners, the Kazakh language has been seen as very
difficult to understand and to pronounce; however, it has been
contrasted as easier than some other regional languages like
Kyrgyz. Actually, travellers proficient in Turkish might be able to
get by because Kazakh is of the same Turkic language family.

If you speak and/or understand the Russian language, then you
should be fine. Still, Russian is considered to be tougher to learn
(grammatically speaking). At the very least, become familiar with
the Cyrillic alphabet and learn a few phrases.

Note that despite the president's campaign to stamp out the
Russian language, Almaty and much of the North are still
predominantly Russian speaking.

Many people under age 20 will know some English as well as many
customs officials and airport people know English.

It is difficult to get around the country without some Russian
or Kazakh language skills; though, within the more modernized
cities, it is easier. Have your place of residence written on a
card and get a cab if you get lost (you might be somewhat
overcharged by the cab, but it is better than being lost).

Buy

The national currency is Tenge
(KZT, Cyrillic: тенге). As of December, 2009, the
exchange rates are:

US$ 1 = KZT 148.5

€ 1 = KZT 213.5

Even for people who are not big shoppers, the beautifully
crafted felt items will appeal. They are also easy to carry, and
inexpensive to post.

Eat

Meat, potatoes, rice and pasta. And lots of it. If you're
vegetarian be wary, because if it doesn't have meat in it, it was
almost certainly cooked on meat stock.

Some recommend dishes:

Laghman - a thick noodle dish, usually served as a soup

Manty - large steamed dumplings full of meat and onions

Plov - wonderful dish of fried rice, meat, carrots, and
sometimes other bits such as raisins or tomatoes

Shashlyk - skewered, roasted chunks of meat, served with some
sort of flatbread (usually lavash) and onions

If you're a vegetarian, you're probably thinking there's nothing
for you in Kazakstan. And you're right - so long as you eat out.
But if you're cooking your own food, you'll be more than satisfied.
Kazakstan has some excellent produce available at little markets
everywhere. For a treat in Almaty, try Govinda's, a delicious
vegetarian Hare Krishna restaurant. Malls have food courts with
some vegetarian options too. Even some small Kazakh eateries will
prepare vegetarian meals for you if you make it very clear to them
(e.g. "byez myasa" (without meat), "ya vegeterianetz" (I [male] am
a vegetarian), "ya vegetarianka" (I [female] am a vegetarian) in
Russian). At some places (e.g. smak) you can even find vegetarian
manty made with pumpkin.

The legacy of Korean resettlement in Kazakhstan means that
Korean dishes, particularly salads, are very common. At the
country's many bazaars (independent food and goods markets), look
for the Korean ladies selling these. They will wrap you up any
number of delicious, often spicy and garlicky salads to take away
in plastic bags. If you are vegetarian, this may be the only decent
thing you get to eat while you're in the country.

On the other hand, in Kazakhstan you can find any dishes you
want, but Chinese and Japanese dishes are very expensive. The most
delicious is caviar, which is very cheap, you can buy 1 kilo of
caviar for less than USD300 in Almaty Zyeloniy Bazaar, but you
can't export or take it with you home, you will be stopped at
airport and pay high fines.

Eating out is relatively cheap; you basically order the meat
dish and then add rice, potatoes, etc. Each element is priced
individually, so you can order for instance only meat or only rice.
Prices are relatively cheap, count 300T for chicken and up to 600T
for beef. Of course, the fancier the restaurant, the higher the
price. If you don't speak Russian, things are relatively hard as
the majority of restaurants don't have English menus (with the
exception of some hyped places in Alamty).

Drink

You can find any sort of drink you want, some of the traditional
beverages include:

Kumiss - fermented mare's milk.

Kumyran (Shubat)- fermented camel's milk

Kvas - described as similar to root beer it can be bought in a
bottle in a store, or by the cup from people with giant yellowish
tanks of it on the street

Cheap alcoholic drinks can be found at every little corner shop
(called the astanovka). These places are open 24/7, just knock on
their door if the shopkeeper is asleep. Kazakhstan's specialty is
cognac, though stores still sell vodka cheaper than bottled water
at times. However, some of these astanovka sometimes sell alcohol
of dubious origin; for the sake of your stomach you may want to buy
your beverage in a supermarket, although the price will definitely
be higher.

The juices, in cartons, are delicious, especially peach
juice.

Sleep

There are numerous hotels, from very cheap ones (10 euro per
night) to the luxurious ones. You wouldn't find the cheapest ones
on the web; the only way to book them is to call directly, but in
that case you'll have to speak Russian at the least.

There are almost no camping sites except in Burabay/Borovoe in
Kazakhstan. You can, however, camp almost anywhere due to the huge
uninhabited spots. The scenery is beautiful but because of the very
hot weather: don't forget to take plenty of water with you as you
can very easily spend many of days without seeing anybody. If you
camp near a nomadic tribe, ask for the permission to stay near; it
will not be refused.

Work

Work is not impossible to find. English teaching schools are
sprouting up all over. The English department at KIMEP might be a
good place to start, depending on credentials and experience.

Stay safe

The general rules of safety in Kazakhstan are the same as in any
other civilized country of the world. Besides the normal risk of
pick-pockets, etc. The main risk is meeting a group of corrupt
police; try to avoid being taken to the police station. However, in
general, Kazakhstan is a very friendly country where foreigners are
respected as the hospitality is one of the Kazakh main traditions.
It is good to have a passport and migration card or copy of them in
pocket, cause the policeman may to want to check it in any time,
especially at night.

Fire brigade: dial 101 (land line and any mobile phones) Police:
dial 102 (land line and any mobile phones) Ambulance: dial 103
(land line and any mobile phones)

Rescue service: dial 112 (any land or mobile phone) you may call
112, describe problem and call willbe redirected to according
service but you have to know Russian or Kazakh in most cases for
conversation with dispatcher. all calls are recorded.

Cope

Avicenna: the best private hospital in Kazakhstan is in the city
of Kokshetau. It has the best service and real professionals. If
you get sick and you are near Kokshetau, visit Avicenna.

This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

From LoveToKnow 1911

"WEST TURKESTAN (see 27.419). - After
the revolution in Russia, Western (or Russian) Turkestan became a
member of the Federation of Soviet Republics. It was divided into
five provinces: Semiryechia, Syr Dania, Ferghana, Samarkand and
Trans-Caspia. The exact position of the native states of Bukhara
and Khiva, which were later occupied by the Soviet Government,
remained obscure. Each of the five provinces, by the constitution
of the Republic, is governed by a provincial Executive Committee or
council which sends representatives to Tashkent, the capital, where
the Central Executive Committee of the Republic meets. This
Committee consists of 75 members, sending representatives to Moscow
to the meetings of the Central Committee of the All-Russian
Federation of Soviet Republics, but the Turkestan Republic showed
itself very little inclined to accept the control which the Central
Committee at Moscow endeavoured to maintain. The Turkestan
Committee elects a small council, forming a kind of cabinet and
having control of the different branches of the administration. The
right of voting being confined to members of the Communist party,
the Government represented by no means one really elected by
universal suffrage but rather a dictatorship of the lower classes.
The Russians in Turkestan form only about 5% of the total pop., and
since most of the rural Mussulman pop. take no part in the voting,
the country is governed to all intents and purposes by men elected
by the very small proportion of Russians of the lower classes
living in the towns. Figures for the pop. of some of the large
towns in 1916 were: - Khokand, 112,000; Namangan, 103,000;
Samarkand, 89,000; Tashkent, 201,000. All trade and industry were
in 1921 at an absolute standstill owing to Bolshevism.

Great success had attended the cultivation of cotton, and the
high prices obtained for the Turkestan article (most of which is
grown in Ferghana, where 742,000 acres were cultivated in 1915),
coupled with the increase of railways, led to the abandonment of
corn in favour of the cultivation of cotton, and, although W.
Turkestan is a good wheat-producing country, cereals were actually
imported from Russia and Siberia and cotton exported in exchange.
Factories for cleaning and baling raw cotton and for extracting
cotton oil were set up, and employed a large number of people,
mostly in Ferghana. These factories were worked by crude oil from
the Baku wells. The total area under cotton in 1916, including that
grown in Khiva and Bukhara, was 1,838,215 acres, yielding about
18,000,000 poods or 290,000 tons of raw cotton.

The cultivation of vines had also increased, and wine industries
had been initiated, chiefly in Tashkent and Samarkand. A larger
product of the vine was in the form of raisins and currants, of
which quantities were exported to Russia.

Large quantities of fruits - apples, pears, quinces, peaches,
nectarines, apricots, grapes and melons - were exported by special
trains to central Europe, where the Turkestan crop was received a
short time before the south European supplies ripened.

Minerals remained for the most part unworked, though the
profitable coal fields and oil wells in Ferghana were used when
disturbances in Trans-Caspia cut Turkestan off from the Baku oil,
on which it relies entirely for its industrial life. Mining is
hampered by the lack of roads and by the want of machinery.

A very large industry in Bukhara is the export of Astrakhan lamb
skins (called locally Karakul). Enormous flocks of these sheep are
kept in the deserts around Bukhara. Attempts to breed these sheep
in other countries have always resulted in a deterioration in the
quality of the skins owing to some peculiarity of climate. Before
the World War about i 2 million skins were obtained annually at a
cost of 6 to 8 roubles each.

There are practically no branch roads in Turkestan, and the only
means of transport in bulk is either by wagon on the few main
roads, or by railway. The largest new railway project is the
Semiryechenskaya railway. This line was intended to leave the
OrenburgTashkent line at Arys (146 versts N. of Tashkent) and go to
Vierni, a distance of about goo versts. Actual construction was
completed to Burnoi (220 versts) when Bolshevism came to crush all
enterprise and initiative. Some work was done E. of Burnoi, but the
line was 2 (h+D)2 not laid and no trains ran in 1921
beyond Burnoi. It was intended later to continue this line from
Vierni to Semipalatinsk (about goo versts) and join up with the
Trans-Siberian line. Important railway lines were constructed from
Kagan (the station on the main line io m. S. of Bukhara City) to
Karshi and Kerki, whence the line runs up the right bank of the
Oxus to Termez on the Afghan border.

A branch runs from Karshi to Kitab, and the intention was to
join Kitab to Samarkand. All these lines were destroyed by the
Bukharians in 1918 but could presumably be easily repaired. The
total length of these railways in Bukhara was about 400 m. and
there are, in addition, lines from Andijan to Jalalabad
coal-fields, about 45 m., from Khokand to Namangan, about 57 m.,
and from Fechenko (N. E. of Skobelev) to Sharikhan, about 11 miles.
(F. M. B.)